The Club Development Award, the Coach Developer Award and Coach Recognition Awards are presented on an annual basis to coaches and club leaders who have made significant achievements in their communities. Nominations for the awards take place at the end of the competitive season and the awards are presented annually at the CKC Summit. This year, with the Summit being postponed in 2024, the awards were presented at the 2025 Coaching Symposium in Ottawa taking place from January 29th to 30th. 

CKC Club Development Award 

The Club Development Award is presented annually to a coach, club leader or volunteer who has clearly demonstrated his or her abilities at developing a club or the sport through grassroots programs such as creating a new club or program or promoting the sport through the club.  

The 2024 recipients of the CKC Club Development Award are Phil Laliberté (Otterburn) and Océane Marchand (Club Nautique de Sherbrooke).  

Phil Laliberté
Phil has played a pivotal role in the growth and success of Otterburn Club over the past three years. His contributions, particularly in restructuring the high-performance program and his active role as a coach, have propelled the club to new heights. Under his leadership, Otterburn athletes are now excelling on provincial, national, and international stages, earning the club a reputation for producing top-tier talent. The club has also expanded its membership by embracing a diverse range of paddling activities, including paddle all, dragon boat, SUP, and a masters program. With Phil’s guidance, Otterburn is on track to not only match but surpass the golden years of the club from the 1970s. 

In addition to his work at Otterburn, Phil is pursuing a PhD in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources, focusing on the coaching profession. His research aims to bridge the gap between coaching practice and academic study, advocating for better work conditions and sustainability within the field. Through his work with Pôle Sports at HEC Montreal, Phil is addressing issues such as coach burnout and the high turnover rate, while helping to improve leadership development for coaches worldwide. As a mentor at Otterburn, he has also worked to inspire the next generation of coaches, showing them the value and potential of coaching as a legitimate, rewarding career. 

Océane Marchand
Océane is a dedicated and skilled trainer known for her ability to listen to her athletes and tailor her approach to help them achieve their best results. Her strong organizational skills and work ethic have earned her the respect of athletes, parents, assistant coaches, colleagues, and peers alike. 

Passionate about sprint paddling, Océane actively seeks to improve her own skills, participating in training camps with the Quebec team in Florida and supporting Canada’s young Olympic hopefuls in Europe. Her enthusiasm for the sport is contagious, and she excels at motivating her athletes to reach their highest potential. 

With a personalized approach to coaching, Océane creates a positive and effective training environment that has led to significant improvements in her athletes’ competitive performances. She has demonstrated great adaptability, adjusting training programs and integrating innovative techniques for both physical and mental preparation. Her leadership and team-building skills have fostered a strong sense of community, encouraging athletes to support one another and progress together. 

CKC Coach Developer Award 

The Coach Developer Award is presented to a coach who contributes to the training of new Canoe Kayak coaches outside of, or in addition to their regular coaching duties. 

The 2024 recipients of the CKC Coach Developer Award are Emily Parsons (Abenaki Aquatic Club) and Kevin McIntyre (Banook Canoe Club). 

Emily Parsons
Emily Parsons is a standout coach and mentor whose impact on both athletes and coaches has been profound. As the only female head coach in the Atlantic division, Emily has become a powerful role model, inspiring others through her leadership and positive approach to coaching. Her commitment to promoting a respectful, ethical, and athlete-centered environment has made her a trusted figure within the sport at the provincial and national levels. 

A passionate advocate for coach education, Emily plays a key role in facilitating training workshops and mentoring emerging coaches. She takes a holistic approach, helping coaches develop not only their technical skills but also their leadership, communication, and ethical decision-making abilities. Emily’s outreach efforts, including collaboration with neighboring clubs, have fostered a sense of community and knowledge-sharing across the paddling network. 

Under Emily’s guidance, athletes have seen significant success, with numerous podium finishes at the 2024 Atlantic Championships. Her coaching style focuses on developing both athletic ability and essential life skills like confidence, resilience, and respect. Emily’s commitment to continuous professional development and her dedication to nurturing the next generation of leaders make her a true ambassador of the sport. 

Kevin McIntyre
Kevin is the Head Coach at Banook Canoe Club, where his dedication and leadership have been instrumental in developing youth athletes and fostering their growth both on and off the water. Under his guidance, many athletes have reached new heights, with several being selected to represent Canada internationally. Kevin is deeply committed to the holistic development of his athletes, supporting them not only in their athletic pursuits but also in their academic and personal lives. 

One of Kevin’s standout contributions is his creation of the Coach-in-Training (CiT) program, which he initiated in his first summer as Head Coach. The program was designed to provide young athletes (ages 14-15) with the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to pursue coaching roles in the future. The CiT program has become a cornerstone of Banook’s coaching development, offering mentorship and training to youth from diverse backgrounds, including BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, female, and newcomer communities. 

Through this program, Kevin has helped build a sustainable coaching pipeline at Banook, with past CiT participants going on to become part-time coaches. In addition to overseeing the CiT program, Kevin manages the coaching schedule for all levels at Banook, supervises both seasonal and off-season coaches, and personally coaches the high-performance athlete group. His work has not only strengthened the club but also ensured the future of canoe and kayak coaching in Canada. 

2024 Canoe Kayak Canada Coach Excellence Nominees: 

CKC congratulates all who were nominated and to the 2024 recipients. For more information on the CKC Excellence Awards please click here. 

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is proud to honour the many coaches who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, initiative and competitive success throughout the 2023 season with the CKC Coaches Recognition Award.

This award is presented annually to coaches who have coached an athlete or crew either for nomination to a CKC National Team (Senior World Championships, Junior World Championships, Carded Athlete or National Development Team) or for a gold medal at the Canoe Kayak Canada Sprint National Championships. Congratulations to all !

Below is a complete list of Coach Recognition Award recipients for the 2023 season:

2023 Coaches

Adam Baird

Adam Mayo

Adam Oldershaw

Aidan Martell

Alexa Irvin

Andrea Nicholls

Andreas Dittmer

Andy Parry

Anna Hetzler

Anna Negulic

Ava Carew

Bethany Baert

Blake Hara

Bret Himmelman

Cayley Fortier

Chad Brooks

Cheyenne Farquharson

Chris MacPherson

Christian Hall

Csom Latorovszki

Daniel Winter

Dave Waters

Dominic Gomez-Granger

Doug Ellery

Doug Tutty

Edward Colhoun

Elliot Smith

Eric Mihalovic

Evan Landry

Frédéric Loyer

Helen Savin

Hélène Gervais

Hunter George

Igor Nikitovic

Jacob McKenna

Jacob Price

Jan Kruk

Jeff Houser

Jennifer Gratto

Jerome Seremak

Jessica MacKay

Joel Hazzan

Jocelyn Taylor

Jordi Cadena

Josh Nowen

Kalob Grady

Karen Furneaux

Karen Lukanovich

KC Dalton

Kevin McIntyre

LA Schmidt

Leeya Nagpal

Liam Smedley

Marc Creamer

Marie Rousseau-Demers

Maris Jacobs

Mark Granger

Marlee MacIntosh

Mathieu Pelletier

Michael Holroyd

Mike Kerrivan

Mike Robinson

Morgan Pugh-Toole

Nick Lamontagne

Niklas Hansen

Ornmadee Baxter-Lovo

Patrick Gagne

Patrick Lester

Peter Lombardi

Peter Nor

Philippe Laliberté

Rob Smith

Rob Stott

Robert Baert

Romy Chamberland

Rowan Hardy-Kavanagh

Sam Raiche

Samantha Morse

Savannah Sullivan

Simon Coward

Scott Feindel

Scott Oldershaw

Stan Marek

Tessa Nagai

Tony Hall

OTTAWA – Canoe Kayak Canada is delighted to announce the 2023 recipients of the Club Development Award and Coach Developer Award. The awards are presented on an annual basis to coaches and club leaders who have made significant achievements in their communities. This year, 14 coaches were nominated and the winners of this year’s awards were announced during the 2023 CKC Annual Meeting of Members on November 18, 2023.

“Coaches and club leaders across Canada are an instrumental part of the success of our sport and make an impact in the lives of our athletes and our sport system each and every day,” said James Cartwright, Senior Manager of High Performance and Coach Development. “We’re proud to recognize all of this year’s nominees. Taking time to formally recognize the accomplishments of our great coaches goes a long way to say thank you and to recognize the impact these individuals have in within paddling community.”

CKC Club Development Award

The Club Development Award is presented annually to a coach, club leader or volunteer who has clearly demonstrated his or her abilities at developing a club or the sport through grassroots programs such as creating a new club or program or promoting the sport through the club.

Marie Rousseau-Demers – CKC Club Development Award

Marie is very committed to the overall development of CCKLB athletes at all levels. She is viewed as a dynamic and committed coach that takes great care to develop life skills such as confidence, self-discipline and respect for others. She encourages the older athletes to get involved with the younger ones, for example, by mixing groups and inviting them to encourage each other. Marie has worked with a nutritionist to publish a collection of healthy recipes for athletes. Her positive leadership is contagious. In addition, Marie has re-built the at CCKLB masters program, to our knowledge, this category had not existed for several years at CCKLB. Initially, about five masters athletes were enrolled. Thanks to her kindness, charisma, human approach and, above all, her sense of humour, this category has now grown to 15 paddlers.

Marie organized a training camp in Temple-sur-Lot, France, in the spring of 2023. The camp had not been held for several years. For this camp, Marie once again demonstrated her fairness and passion for the sport. To encourage everyone to participate, even those with more limited financial means and even other clubs in the region, she encouraged the youngsters to get involved in fund-raising activities. For 14 days, they benefited from an exceptional training environment on her part. We saw many benefits from this camp, including team-building, an unforgettable club dynamic for the youngsters, and the achievement of the goals of surpassing oneself and training hard. Of the youngsters Marie coached, some 30 went on to compete in the Canadian Championships in summer 2023. The Club came 4th overall (out of 42 clubs), participated in 51 finals and won a total of 32 medals.

CKC Coach Developer Award

The Coach Developer Award is presented to a coach who contributes to the training of new Canoe Kayak coaches outside of, or in addition to their regular coaching duties.

Igor Nikitovic – CKC Coach Developer Award

Igor has done so many things for Wascana Racing Canoe Club in the short time that he has coached at this club. He has guided many athletes to exceed in provincial national and international success. he has helped tremendously with growing the club and making it a safe and welcoming yet competitive environment for everyone who joins. In the past couple of years he has mentored a lot of our young summer camp coaches and while connecting with all the summer camp paddlers. Igor makes the club a great place to be around and is inspiring both new and old paddlers every day!

In the past two years Igor has sent two athletes to Olympic Hopes. At this year’s National Championships with only 8 athletes, we brought home 13 medals. In addition, Igor works with remote clubs, for example flat water north out of the Yukon so that they can have racing experience in our divisional regattas. He also works with international clubs such as Oklahoma Canoe Club and clubs in Seattle, to develop partnerships for future training and racing opportunities.

He has 29 years of coaching and had been in Richmond Hill for 10 years and Nanaimo for 6 years prior to coming to Wascana.

2023 Canoe Kayak Canada Excellence Nominees:

Brent Beck                              Georgian Bay Kayak Club
Lawrence Chin                     False Creek Racing Canoe Club
Wayne Donison                  Kawartha Whitewater Paddlers
Douglas Ellery                     Maskwa Aquatic Club
Dominic Gomez                  Lachine Racing Canoe Club
Sarah Kennedy                    Petrie Island Canoe Club
Phil Laliberté                         Otterburn Boating Club
Jacob McKenna                   Maskwa Aquatic Club
Igor Nikitovic                        Wascana Racing Canoe Club
Josh Nowen                           Cheema Aquatic Club
Mike Robinson                    Calgary Canoe Club
Marie Rousseau-Demers  Club de canoe kayak de Lac-Beauport
Savannah Sullivan             Maskwa Aquatic Club
Diane Tam                              False Creek Racing Canoe Club

CKC congratulates all who were nominated and to the 2023 recipients. For more information on the CKC Excellence Awards please click here.

 Canoe Kayak Canada has officially launched the nomination process for the 2023 Excellence Awards.  

  The Club Development Award, the Coach Developer Award and Coach Recognition Awards are presented on an annual basis to coaches and club leaders who have made significant efforts or achievements in their communities.   

The Club Development Award will be presented to a coach, club leader or volunteer who has clearly demonstrated his or her abilities at developing a club or the sport through grassroots programs such as creating a new club or program or promoting the sport through the club. The Coach Developer Award will be presented to a coach who contributes to the training of new Canoe Kayak coaches outside of, or in addition to their regular coaching duties.  

The awards are presented yearly at Canoe Kayak Canada’s Special Meeting of Members. The Summit will take place this year virtually on November 18, 2023.  

Click here to submit nominations.  

Deadline is October 18, 2023.  

For more information, contact James Cartwright

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is proud to honour the numerous coaches who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, initiative, and competitive success throughout the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the CKC Coach Recognition Award.

This award is presented annually to coaches who have coached an athlete or crew to either the nomination to a CKC National Team (Senior World Championships, Junior World Championships, Carded Athlete, or National Development Team) or a gold medal at the Canadian Canoe Kayak Championships. A big congratulations to all!

Below is a full list of the Coach Recognition Award recipients for the 2021 and 2022 season:

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (March 26, 2019) – Canadian Sprint multiple Canoe World Champion Laurence Vincent-Lapointe was honoured with the prestigious  Academy Award and Whitewater Canoe member Claudia Kerckhoff-Van Wjik won the Lifetime Achievement Award presented this week as part of the 2018 World Paddle Awards.

“We are delighted and proud to have both Laurence and Claudia represent the Canadian paddling community so well at the recent World Paddle Awards, said Casey Wade, CEO at Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC). These two women are most deserving of these remarkable achievement awards and on behalf of Canoe Kayak Canada we  congratulate them both.”

Laurence Vincent-Lapointe received more than 3,000 votes, one of the highest public votes in the history of the World Paddle Awards. Laurence has been an outspoken advocate for women’s canoeing to be included in the Olympic Games programme. Laurence was also runner-up for the 2018 Sportswoman of the Year Award. She was nominated for this award in 2015, 2017 as well.

The Academy Awards are made solely at the discretion of the World Paddle Awards Academy with over 40 members, recognising exceptional achievements. So far, only three people have had the honor to receive this award.

“For me to receive the Academy Award after big names in the paddling world like Jessica Fox, Sebastian Brendel and Hank McGregor means a lot to me, said Laurence in an interview when receiving her award. It feels like all the efforts I have been putting in training are being recognize and appreciated.”

Read more about Laurence’s award here. 

Claudia Van Wijk has lived and breathed the world of whitewater kayaking since she was born. Growing up on the riverbanks of Ontario, Canada, she was paddling down rapids in the front of a double Klepper-Foldboot by the age of three. With a decorated career as a slalom and wildwater athlete, Claudia’s infectious enthusiasm for the sport has inspired countless others.

Claudia is the first women to have ever received this award and is an empowering role model for female paddlers throughout the world. She is also the second Canadian to be recognized for their lifetime contribution to the paddlesports community as John Edwards previously won the Awards in 2016.

“I am honoured for being recognized for my participation and contribution to the sport of whitewater paddling, said Claudia. I am still happiest when in my kayak, especially when running a challenging section of river. So it’s extremely fulfilling to introduce others to this amazing sport which I’ve been able to do for thousands of people.  A summer day doesn’t go by when I don’t hear: ‘thank you, this was the best day of my life!”

Read more about Claudia’s award here.

Six Canadian Nominations for a 2018 World Paddle Awards

The World Paddle Awards (WPA) are held annually, celebrating the most remarkable men and women from the world of paddlesports along with their achievements from the previous calendar year. This year, Canada had a total of six nominations for the 2018 World Paddle Awards. In addition to Vincent-Lapointe’s two nominations and Van Wijk’s one, three other Canadian entries were nominated for awards; 

Canoe sprint athlete Sophia Jensen, who dominated the 2018 Junior Sprint World Championships, winning three gold medals in the C1 200m, C1 500m and C2 500m, was nominated for the 2018 Junior of the Year. 

Ken Whiting, President of Heliconia, who is an award winning video production company that specializes in outdoor productions, was nominated for the 2018 Media Professional of the Year WPA for producing Facing Waves, an exciting and inspiring TV series that showcases spectacular paddling by top athletes in stunning locations around the world.

The Toronto Outer Harbour Warriors Mixed Dragon Boat crew was nominated for the 2018 Team WPA. The Canadian crew founded in 2004 have elevated the competitive landscape in Canadian dragon boat racing with their unrivalled success as a Premier Mixed Crew.

The general public and fans were invited to vote for their favourites online and both the public and the Academy members votes were compiled to determine the winners.

Visit the World Paddles Awards websiteto get more information and make sure to follow @CanoeKayakCANfor more live updates. 

Subscribe to Canoe Kayak Canada’s mailing listto get all news and updates directly to your email. 

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
jverret@canoekayak.ca
(418) 271-3785

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (December 6, 2018) – This past weekend, Canoe Kayak Canada honoured a number of coaches from different disciplines during the 2018 Annual Summit. We are proud to name the coaches who won the performance, development, leadership and recognition awards of the 2018 edition.

CKC Development Award

The CKC Development Award is presented annually to a coach that has demonstrated their abilities at developing a club or the sport through creating a new program such as aboriginal paddling or PaddleALL, successfully increasing club memberships in a new or specific program, shown improvements in performance at a provincial or national level or demonstrates concerns for the all–round development of the athlete.

Coach Developer Award

The Coach Developer Award is presented to a coach who goes above and beyond their regular coaching duties, for the development and advancement of Canoe Kayak, while demonstrating a positive image of coaching, is a member of national or provincial committee, is involved in coach education training and outreach programs for other clubs.

Petro Canada Sport Leadership Awards

These awards are to recognize coaches whose athletes have excelled at world championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games. These recipients are some of Canada’s most outstanding national team coaches who have dedicated their time and efforts to ensuring that athletes reach their potential on an international stage.

Coach Recognition Awards

These awards are presented to coaches who have coached an athlete or crew to a gold medal at the Canadian Canoe Kayak Championships or coached an athlete who has been nominated to a CKC national team (Senior World Championships, Junior World Championships, Carded Athlete, or National Development Team)

Visit Canoe Kayak Canada’s website to get more information and make sure to follow @CanoeKayakCAN for more live updates.

Subscribe to Canoe Kayak Canada’s mailing list to get all news and results directly to your email.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (Novembre 23, 2018) – Canoe Kayak Canada is pleased to congratulate the 10 paddling coaches who have been nominated for the 2018 Coach Excellence Awards. Winners will be announced at Canoe Kayak Canada’s Coach Celebration Dinner taking place during the Annual Summit in Ottawa, on Saturday, December 1.

The CKC Development Award and the Coach Developer Award are presented on an annual basis to the coaches who have made significant achievements. Nominations for the awards were open to the public at the end of the competitive seasons of all paddling disciplines.

Canoe Kayak Canada will also be presenting Coach Recognition Awards to those who have had an athlete nominated to one of the 2018 national team or achieved a gold medal at the 2018 Canadian Canoe Kayak Championships.

The awards will be presented at the Coach Celebration Dinner on December 1^stin Ottawa.

Click here to get more information and to reserve a ticket.

Coach Developper Award Nominees:

• Ryan Stepka, OMCKRA
• Jon Pike, Maskwa Aquatic Club
• Mike Vincent, Regina Marathon Canoe Club

Coach Development Award Nominees:

• Mike Robinson, Wascana Racing Canoe Club
• KC Fraser, South Niagara Canoe Club
• Pat Lester, Carleton Place Canoe Club
• Andy Parry, Muskoka Kayak School
• Conrad Hutter, Rideau Canoe Club
• Nigel Rockett, Balmy Beach Canoe Club
• Anthony Colin, Whitewater Ontario

Visit Canoe Kayak Canada’s website to get more information about the Coach Excellence Awards and make sure to follow @CanoeKayakCAN for more live updates.

Subscribe to Canoe Kayak Canada’s mailing list to get all news and results directly to your email.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

OTTAWA, ON (November 9, 2018)– Canada’s most deserving and influential coaches and sports leaders will be honoured this evening at the 2018 Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Awards Gala. The class of 2018 award recipients include Canoe Kayak Canada’s national coach Jan Kruk and Trois-Rivières Canoe Club coach, Mathieu Pelletier.

Hosted by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) in partnership with Petro-Canada at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, the Gala recognizes those who live out the values and competencies of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and the positive impact they have within the Canadian sport community.

“Every year, coaches and leaders in the Canadian sport system foster growth and innovation in their communities,” says Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the CAC. “Inspiring athletes to perform at their best — both on and off the field — is because these leaders are positive role models and supporters in the many facets of values-based leadership. The Coaching Association of Canada is proud to recognize these leaders for the positive impact their influence has on Canadian athletes and participants.”

The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, also praises the contributions coaches make in communities across the country.

“A coach’s greatest reward is to see athletes learn, improve, and excel,” says the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport. “I would like to thank the Coaching Association of Canada for recognizing the outstanding work of these incredible mentors, whose leadership and dedication contribute to every athlete’s success in sport and in life.”

THE WINNERS ARE:

Geoff Gowan Award

The Geoff Gowan Award was created by the Coaching Association of Canada in 1996 and recognizes lifetime contributions to coaching development. It is awarded to coaches who have presented a positive public image of coaching and who have enhanced the role of the coach with the Canadian public. The award resides at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary, Alberta.

Manon Perron, ChPC– Skate Canada (Boucherville, QC)

“For almost 40 years, Manon has demonstrated an inspirational dedication to her career in professional coaching,” says Paul Carson, Chair of the CAC Board of Directors. “Manon has not only demonstrated a commitment to coach education and mentorship in Canada, but a commitment to her athletes. She helps athletes develop holistically by encouraging them to balance sport, social, and educational needs. We’re honoured to present Manon with the Geoff Gowan Award.”

“To be recognized for the time I’ve dedicated to coaching is a huge honour. It’s incredible that I’ve been able to turn my passion for coaching into a 39-year career,” says Perron. “Coaching has been the most rewarding experience, and I’ve also been given the opportunity to be a coach mentor and work with high-performance athletes through Skate Canada. When I think of where I am today, I have so many people to thank. I would particularly like to recognize Skate Canada and Patinage Québec for helping me make my dreams a reality. Lastly, I want to thank everyone who believed in me.”

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Jack Donohue “Coach of the Year” Award

The Jack Donohue “Coach of the Year” Award is presented to a Chartered Professional Coach (ChPC) for their outstanding contributions as one of Canada’s top coaches. The award recognizes a coach’s dedication to the profession of coaching, commitment to continual improvement, and the successful performances of his or her athletes during the past competitive season.

Rob Kober, ChPC – Freestyle Alberta (Penticton, BC)

“As a testament to Rob’s 25-year coaching career, we can look to the past three Olympic Games where Canada has performed outstandingly in Men’s Moguls,“ says Lafrenière. “This year, we’re happy to present Rob Kober with the Jack Donohue Award, especially since Rob has chosen to play an even bigger role in the athlete development system by taking on the head coach position of the Alberta Mogul Team”.

“There are so many great Canadian coaches that deserve this award, and I feel very honoured and very fortunate to be singled out,” says Rob Kober. “Having my career recognized like this means a lot to me. I have been incredibly fortunate to have a supportive family. I would like to thank my parents, my kids, my wife and all of my coaching mentors, particularly Peter Judge, Bobby Aldighieri, and Dave Paskevich. Coaching has been an incredibly rewarding career to this point, and that has everything to do with the athletes I have had the privilege of working with. I can’t thank them enough for placing their trust in me.”

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IG Wealth Management National NCCP Coach Developer Award

This award recognizes an outstanding individual who has gone above and beyond to inspire and develop NCCP coaches in their community. In 2018, IG Wealth Management presented ten Community NCCP Coach Developer Awards, while one national winner will be recognized this evening.

Greg Henhawk – Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Centre of Ontario (Six Nations of the Grand River, ON)

“Greg has been a positive coaching figure in his community for more than 40 years and has been teaching coach education for 31 years. He’s been involved in the NCCP since 1980 as a participant, learning facilitator, master coach developer, and project advisor,” says Trevor Krahn, Director, Sponsorship & Community Engagement at IG Wealth Management. “We’re honoured to present the IG Wealth Management National NCCP Coach Developer Award to him this year.”

“I am very proud to be recognized for my somewhat ‘outside the box’ delivery style in the courses and workshops that I teach. I like to root my delivery in the holistic model of life predicated by my Mohawk culture,” says Greg Henhawk. “As with all cultures, I believe that the present and past voices of the people contain great wisdom. I am proud to share the wisdom of my Indigenous ancestors and I try to teach in a way that illustrates and honours the voice of my people. I have lots of people to thank, but I would particularly like to recognize my community in the Six Nations of the Grand River, as I truly think that the strength of a person lies in the people that surround them. Until I one day join the spirit world, I hope to keep learning from the people I have met and who I have yet to meet. As much as I am a teacher and a coach, I am forever a lifetime learner.”

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Sheila Robertson Award

The Sheila Robertson Award recognizes the outstanding contributions to coach education, recognition, and professional development by a National Sport Organization (NSO) or Multisport Service Organization (MSO). It is awarded to an NSO or MSO that consistently demonstrates its value of coaching through its organizational mandate and communications activities throughout the year to its internal and external audiences.

Tennis Canada

“Tennis Canada is very proud to receive this award and to be recognized by the Coaching Association of Canada for our work in coaching development,” says Ari Novik, Senior Director of Tennis Development at Tennis Canada. “Tennis Canada has been committed to coaching development for many years and has provided substantial resources to this area, so we greatly appreciate both the recognition and the excellent partnership that we have formed with the CAC over the years. Finally, I want to acknowledge my team at Tennis Canada – Marie-France Mercier, Jocelyn Robichaud, Joan Leung, Ryan Borczon, and Scott Milnthorp.”

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Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Awards

These prestigious awards recognize coaches whose athletes have excelled at World Championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Special Olympics World Games. Petro-Canada, a Suncor business, has honoured close to 1,200 coaches since 1986 with a Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award.

The 44 deserving coaches are:

Alberta

Bart Schouten, ChPC: Speed Skating Canada

Athlete: Ted-Jan Bloemen

John Jaques, ChPC: Cross Country Canada

Athletes: Brittany Hudak, Collin Cameron, and Mark Arendz

Jules Owchar: Curling Canada

Athletes: Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, and Geoff Walker

Les Gramantik, ChPC: Athletics Canada

Athlete: Damian Warner

Philippe Abbott: Cycling Canada

Athlete: Mike Sametz

Robin McKeever, ChPC: Cross Country Canada

Athletes: Brian McKeever, Emily Young, Mark Arendz, and Natalie Wilkie

Ravi Walia, ChPC: Skate Canada

Athletes: Kaetlyn Osmond and Patrick Chan

Stanley Hayer: Alpine Canada Alpin

Athletes: Brady Leman, Kelsey Serwaa, and Brittany Phelan

Toben Sutherland: Freestyle Canada

Athlete: Alex Beaulieu-Marchand

British Columbia

Dave McKay, ChPC: Wrestling Canada Lutte

Athlete: Justina Di Stasio

Dave Thompson: Rowing Canada Aviron

Athletes: Lisa Roman, Kristin Bauder, Nicole Hare, Hillary Janssens, Christine Roper, Susanne

Grainger, Jennifer Martins, Rebecca Zimmerman, and Kristen Kit

Rob Kober, ChPC: Freestyle Canada

Athlete: Mikaël Kingsbury

Steve Bush: Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada

Athletes: Team Canada Water Ski

Trennon Paynter, ChPC: Freestyle Canada

Athlete: Cassie Sharpe

Manitoba

Jeff Stoughton: Curling Canada

Athletes: John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes

Nova Scotia

David Kikuchi, ChPC: Gymnastics Canada Gymnastique

Athlete: Elsabeth Black

Jan Kruk, ChPC: Canoe Kayak Canada

Athletes: Katie Vincent and Laurence Vincent-Lapointe

Mark Smith, ChPC: Softball Canada

Athletes: Women’s National Team

Ontario

Andrew (Drew) Ross: Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada

Athletes: Neilly Ross and Jason McClintock

Brian Orser: Skate Canada

Athlete: Gabrielle Daleman

Derrick Campbell, ChPC: Speed Skating Canada

Athlete: Charles Hamelin, Samuel Girard, Charle Cournoyer, and Pascal Dion

Elliot Catton, ChPC: Canada Snowboard

Athlete: Sébastien Toutant, Mark McMorris, Max Parrot, and Laurie Blouin

Lee Barkell, ChPC: Skate Canada

Athlete: Gabrielle Daleman

Matt Rini: Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada

Athlete: Whitney McClintock

Marty Calder, ChPC: Wrestling Canada Lutte

Athlete: Michelle Fazzari

Michelle Darvill, ChPC: Rowing Canada Aviron

Athletes: Lisa Roman, Kristin Bauder, Nicole Hare, Hillary Janssens, Christine Roper, Susanne

Grainger, Jennifer Martins, Rebecca Zimmerman, and Kristen Kit

Wendy Morgan, ChPC: Curling Canada

Athletes: Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Dawn McEwen, and Jill Officer

Quebec

Bruno Marcotte, ChPC: Skate Canada

Athletes: Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford

Eric Van den Eynde: Cycling Canada

Athlete: Shelley Gautier

Frédéric Blackburn, ChPC: Speed Skating Canada

Athletes: Valerie Maltais, Marianne St-Gelais, Kasandra Bradette, and Kim Boutin

Guillaume Plourde: Cycling Canada

Athlete: Tristen Chernove

Jean-Sébastien Labrie, ChPC: Alpine Canada Alpin

Athletes: Alana Ramsay, Alexis Guimond, Kurt Oatway, Mac Maroux, and Mollie Jepsen

Karina Kosko, ChPC: Gymnastics Canada Gymnastique

Athlete: Sophiane Métho

Marie-France Dubreuil, ChPC: Skate Canada

Athletes: Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue

Mathieu Pelletier: Canoe Kayak Canada

Athlete: Laurence Vincent-Lapointe

Maxime Hénault: Canada Snowboard

Athletes: Max Parrot, Laurie Blouin, and Sébastien Toutant

Michel Hamelin, ChPC: Freestyle Canada

Athlete: Justine Dufour-Lapointe

Patrice Lauzon: Skate Canada

Athletes: Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue

Rino Langelier, ChPC: Racquetball Canada

Athlete: Samuel Murray

Sébastien Travers: Cycling Canada

Athletes: Ross Wilson and Alex Hyndman

Tyrel Rose, ChPC: Canadian Tenpin Federation

Athlete: Francois Lavoie

Saskatchewan

Adam Burwell: Canada Snowboard

Athlete: Mark McMorris

Loren Prentice: Racquetball Canada

Athlete: Tim Landeryou

Wayne Kiel, ChPC: Curling Canada

Athletes: Mark Ideson, Ina Forrest, Dennis Thiessen, Marie Wright, and Jamie Anseeuw

More information on the deserving winners is posted on theAwards & Recognitionpage of the CAC’s website, coach.ca. Please follow #SLS18on Twitter and Instagram for photos of the evening. The CAC wishes to thank Globe Awards & Promotions, the official provider of gala prizing and trophies handed out this evening.

About the Coaching Association of Canada
The Coaching Association of Canada unites stakeholders and partners in its commitment to raising the skills and stature of coaches, and ultimately expanding their reach and influence. Through its programs, the CAC empowers coaches with knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches. For more information, please visit www.coach.caor follow us on Facebook,Twitteror Instagram.

About Suncor

Suncor Energy is Canada’s leading integrated energy company. Suncor’s operations include oil sands development and upgrading, offshore oil and gas production, petroleum refining, and product marketing under the Petro-Canada brand. A member of Dow Jones Sustainability indexes, FTSE4Good and CDP, Suncor is working to responsibly develop petroleum resources while also growing a renewable energy portfolio. Suncor is listed on the UN Global Compact 100 stock index and the Corporate Knights’ Global 100. Suncor’s common shares (symbol: SU) are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges.

Petro-Canada, a Suncor business, operates almost 1,500 retail stations and 280 Petro-Pass wholesale locations nationwide. Petro-Canada’s retail loyalty program, Petro-Points™, provides Canadians with the opportunity to earn and redeem rewards. Petro-Canada is proud to be a National Partner of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees, supporting Canadian athletes, coaches and their families for more than 25 years. For more information, visitpetro-canada.ca.

About IG Wealth Management

Founded in 1926, IG Wealth Management is a national leader in delivering personalized financial solutions to Canadians through a network of Consultants located across Canada. In addition to an exclusive family of mutual funds and other investment vehicles, IG offers a wide range of insurance, securities, mortgage and other financial services. IG Wealth Management has $89.8 billion in assets under management as of August 31, 2018 and is a member of the IGM Financial Inc. (TSX: IGM) group of companies. IGM Financial is one of Canada’s premier financial services companies with over $161.1 billion in total assets under management as of August 31, 2018.

Coach Excellence Awards Nominations
Please, share this information with your community

Canoe Kayak Canada presents the Coach Excellence Awards annually in recognition of excellence demonstrated by members of our coaching community.

The CKC Development Award, the Coach Developer Award and Coach Recognition Awards are presented on an annual basis to coaches who have made significant achievements. Coaches must be NCCP certified and part of the Coaching Association of Canada to be eligible for these awards.

Nominations are now open until Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EST

This is your opportunity to suggest a coach who is deserving of the Coach Developer Award or CKC Development Award. In order for a coach to be eligible for any of the above awards, they must be an NCCP certified coach and part of the Coaching Association of Canada.

Click the award links below to submit your nomination online :

Coach Developer Award

The Coach Developer Award is presented to a coach who contributes to the development or advancement of Canoe Kayak outside of, or in addition to their regular club coaching duties (club development and outreach, coach education, promotion and implementation of Long Term Athlete Development, involvement in national or provincial committees, aboriginal paddling initiative, PaddleALL, etc).

• demonstrate a positive image of coaching, role of the coach and ambassador of the NCCP Code of Ethics and CKC Coaching Code of Conduct;
• Member of a national or provincial committee
• Has been involved in planning committees at National or Provincial level
• Is involved in coach education through facilitating coach training workshops
• Involved in outreach programs with other clubs
• Demonstrate commitment to coaching education;
• Achievement of athlete/team performance

Submit your nomination now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CoachDeveloperCKC

CKC Development Award

The CKC Development Award is presented annually to the coach who has clearly demonstrated his or her abilities at developing a club or the sport through the grassroots level, building of a club or program such as an aboriginal paddling or PaddleALL program, or the promotion of the sport through the club. This could be evidenced or demonstrated through the following:

• Development of a new program within their club (PaddleAll, Aboriginal program, high school program, etc)
• Significant Increase in club membership through the introduction of a new program, recruitment / talent ID or promotion of the sport
• Improvement in performance at provincial or National level (eg – higher ranking of finish, medals, athletes on a National or Provincial team, etc)
• Demonstrate concern for the all–round development of the athlete –  (sport, social, and educational needs, and develop, through sport, life skills such as confidence, self–discipline, and respect);
• Successful increase in membership in a specific program in the club

Submit your nomination now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CoachDevelopmentCKC

For more information, visit the CKC Award Page

February 26, 2018

TORONTO, ONTARIO (JANUARY 17, 2018) – RBC recently announced 57 elite Canadian athletes as 2018 RBC Olympians. Among these athletes are seven canoe/kayak athletes, including Olympic bronze medalist Mark Oldershaw and two-time Olympian Michael Tayler.

The RBC Olympian program is a national initiative that offers top athletes the opportunity to focus on training and competing while receiving much-needed financial support. The athletes serve as community ambassadors, attending hundreds of community and charitable appearances and bringing the Olympic message of teamwork, excellence and leadership to communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

In addition, RBC Olympians have access to flexible work opportunities that provide practical job skills and experiences – helping them succeed both on and off the water. Since 2002, over 250 current and retired Olympic and Paralympic athletes have participated in the program, with some becoming full-time RBC employees.

About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is Canada’s largest bank, and one of the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We are one of North America’s leading diversified financial services companies, and provide personal and commercial banking, wealth management, insurance, investor services and capital markets products and services on a global basis. We have approximately 81,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 35 other countries. For more information, please visit rbc.com.‎

RBC helps communities prosper, supporting a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. For more information please see: http://www.rbc.com/community-sustainability/.

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For more information, please contact:

Hannah Vaughan
Public Relations Coordinator
RBC Atlantic
hannah.vaughan@rbc.com
902-421-2084

Joannie Verret
Communication Coordinator
Canoe Kayak Canada
jverret@canoekayak.ca
418-271-3785

Canoe Kayak Canada 2017 Awards Presentations

OTTAWA (November 22, 2017) – This past weekend, Canoe Kayak Canada honoured a number of coaches from different disciplines during the 2017 Annual Summit in Ottawa, ON. We are proud to name the coaches who won the performance, development, dedication, leadership and recognition awards of the 2017 edition.

CKC Development Award
The CKC Development Award is presented annually to a coach that has demonstrated their abilities at developing a club or the sport through creating a new program such as aboriginal paddling or PaddleALL, successfully increasing club memberships in a new or specific program, shown improvements in performance at a provincial or national level or demonstrates concerns for the all –round development of the athlete.

Coach Developer Award
The Coach Developer Award is presented to a coach who goes above and beyond their regular coaching duties, for the development and advancement of Canoe Kayak, while demonstrating a positive image of coaching, is a member of national or provincial committee, is involved in coach education training and outreach programs for other clubs.

Fair Play Award
The Fair Play Award is presented to recognize an act of fair play by an athlete or team during the year, up to and including the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships.

Petro Canada Sport Leadership Awards
These awards are to recognize coaches whose athletes have excelled at world championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games. These recipients are some of Canada’s most outstanding national team coaches who have dedicated their time and efforts to ensuring that athletes reach their potential on an international stage.

Coach Recognition Awards 
These awards are presented to coaches who have coached an athlete or crew to a gold medal at the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships or coached an athlete who has been nominated to a national team (Senior World Championships, Junior World Championships, Carded Athlete, or National Development Team)

OTTAWA, ON (November 6, 2017) – Canoe Kayak Canada is pleased to welcome four (4) members to its Board of Directors following its annual election. Tom Hall and Madeleine Hall return to the Board after being voted in by the Paddling Association members as Members at large, Kristopher Archibald has been newly appointed by the Marathon Council as one of their Board representatives and Pierre-Luc Laliberté will be joining the Board for the coming year after being appointed by the Board as Athlete Representative.

Peter Giles remains as CKC President for another year and the Board elected Tom Hall as Vice-President and Harold Van Winssen as Treasurer.

As Vice-President, Tom Hall moves into a Board leadership role after serving three years as Chair of the Athlete’s Committee. Tom had a distinguished career as a canoe athlete having won a bronze medal in the C1 1000m at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Marathon Representative Kristofer Archibald has been a long-standing member of the marathon community in Nova Scotia. As a second-generation canoer racer, Kris is an accomplished racer as well as coach, leading the wave in creating new innovative race opportunities for all interested paddlers in his area. More recently, after earning his PhD in Canadian Environmental History, Kris has accepted a position at St Mary’s University as an instructor.

As Athlete’s Representative, Pierre-Luc Laliberté will also take on the role of Chair of CKC’s Athlete Committee. Pierre-Luc is recently retired from competition and had a successful career as a national team canoe athlete.

The Board will round out its full membership following the election of the Sprint Racing Council’s new Commodore at the upcoming election of Members on November 18^th, 2017.

THE CURRENT MEMBERSHIP OF CKC’S BOARD IS AS FOLLOWS:

Peter Giles – Paddling Association Member – President

Tom Hall – Paddling Association Member – Vice President

Harold Van Winssen – Chair White Water Council – Treasurer

Julie Crepeau-Boisvert – White Water Council Representative

Madeline Hall – Paddling Association Member

Chris Helyar – Paddling Association Member

Fiona Vincent – Chair Marathon Council

Kristofer Archibald – Marathon Representative

Pierre-Luc Laliberte – Athlete Representative

Sean Cannon – Sprint Racing Council Representative

Commodore – Sprint Racing Council – TBD

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada. Canoe Kayak Canada has been one of Canada’s top performing summer sports having won an impressive count of 24 Olympic medals. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization which includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information:

Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
418 271 3785
jverret@canoekayak.ca

CALGARY, ALBERTA (November 3, 2017) – Canada’s most deserving and influential coaches and sports administrators will be honoured this evening at the 2017 Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Awards Gala.

Among the 61 nominations, we are proud to announce that the class of 2017 award recipients includes:

Nova Scotia
Jan Kruk, ChPC: Canoe Kayak Canada
Athlete: Katie Vincent

Québec
Mathieu Pelletier : Canoe Kayak Canada
Athlete : Laurence Vincent-Lapointe

Hosted by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) at the Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire, the Gala recognizes those who live out the values and competencies of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and the positive impact they have within the Canadian sport community. More information on the deserving winners is posted on the Awards & Recognition page of the CAC’s website, coach.ca. Please follow #SLS17 for photos of the evening.

“We are all inspired by the coaches and coach developers who ignite change and encourage growth for our athletes within an ever-changing landscape,” said Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the CAC. “It takes leadership to bring out the best in our coaches and athletes, and the Coaching Association of Canada is thrilled to recognize this year’s award winners and the impact they’ve had within the Canadian sport community.”

Attending for the first time this evening is the Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities.

“Coaches don’t have the chance to step on the podium and live the glory attached to it, even though they have also invested much of their time and energy. Tonight, I am very proud to support the Coaching Association of Canada in its efforts to recognize the dedication of coaches who allow our Canadian athletes to grow,” said the Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. “Coaches have an impact not just on athletes’ performances—the mark they leave on the sport community and the history of sport in Canada testifies to a commitment to sport and this country that deserves to be widely acknowledged tonight, and all year long.”

About the Coaching Association of Canada
The Coaching Association of Canada unites stakeholders and partners in its commitment to raising the skills and stature of coaches, and ultimately expanding their reach and influence. Through programs, such as the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), the CAC empowers coaches with knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches. For more information, visit www.coach.ca or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

About Suncor
Suncor Energy is Canada’s leading integrated energy company. Suncor’s operations include oil sands development and upgrading, offshore oil and gas production, petroleum refining, and product marketing under the Petro-Canada brand. A member of Dow Jones Sustainability indexes, FTSE4Good and CDP, Suncor is working to responsibly develop petroleum resources while also growing a renewable energy portfolio. Suncor is listed on the UN Global Compact 100 stock index and the Corporate Knights’ Global 100. Suncor’s common shares (symbol: SU) are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges.

Petro-Canada, a Suncor business, operates almost 1,500 retail stations and 280 Petro-Pass wholesale locations nationwide. Petro-Canada’s retail loyalty program, Petro-Points™, provides Canadians with the opportunity to earn and redeem rewards. Petro-Canada is proud to be a National Partner of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees, supporting Canadian athletes, coaches and their families for more than 25 years. For more information, visit petro-canada.ca.

About Investors Group 
IGM Financial Inc. is one of Canada’s premier personal financial services companies, and one of the country’s largest managers and distributors of mutual funds and other managed asset products, with over $139 billion in total assets under management. Its activities are carried out principally through Investors Group’s network of Consultants located across Canada, Mackenzie Financial Corporation’s network of third-party financial advisors and Investment Planning Counsel’s network of financial planners dedicated to serving the needs of their clients.

About Canoe Kayak Canada
Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :
Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
jverret@canoekayak.ca 
(418) 271-3785

For more information, pictures or videos of the recipients, please contact:
Michel Hachey
Manager, Communications
Coaching Association of Canada
613-235-5000, ext. 2382
613-858-0242 (Nov. 1-5)
mhachey@coach.ca